2 Chronicles 3:8 kjv
And he made the most holy house, the length whereof was according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits: and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.
2 Chronicles 3:8 nkjv
And he made the Most Holy Place. Its length was according to the width of the house, twenty cubits, and its width twenty cubits. He overlaid it with six hundred talents of fine gold.
2 Chronicles 3:8 niv
He built the Most Holy Place, its length corresponding to the width of the temple?twenty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. He overlaid the inside with six hundred talents of fine gold.
2 Chronicles 3:8 esv
And he made the Most Holy Place. Its length, corresponding to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and its breadth was twenty cubits. He overlaid it with 600 talents of fine gold.
2 Chronicles 3:8 nlt
He made the Most Holy Place 30 feet wide, corresponding to the width of the Temple, and 30 feet deep. He overlaid its interior with 23 tons of fine gold.
2 Chronicles 3 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 26:33 | You shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there behind the veil. The veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. | Separation of holy places in Tabernacle |
| Exod 37:16 | He made also the utensils which were on the table...and the jars and bowls for the drink offering. | Materials for holy places in Tabernacle |
| 1 Kgs 6:20 | Now the inner sanctuary was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in height; and he overlaid it with pure gold... | Parallel Temple description (Holy of Holies) |
| 1 Kgs 6:21 | So Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, and he drew chains of gold across the front of the inner sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold. | Temple's gold overlay and purity |
| 1 Kgs 7:49 | And the lampstands of pure gold, five on the right side and five on the left... and the lamps... and the tongs of gold. | Abundance of gold in Temple furniture |
| Lev 16:2 | The Lord said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Most Holy Place inside the veil..." | High Priest's sole access to Holy of Holies |
| Ps 29:2 | Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. | God's dwelling deserves glorious splendor |
| Hag 2:7 | And I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations shall come; and I will fill this temple with glory, says the Lord of hosts. | God's glory in His temple |
| Zech 6:12 | Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch... he shall build the temple of the Lord.” | Prophecy of Messiah building a greater temple |
| Ezra 6:15 | This temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. | Completion of the Second Temple |
| Isa 60:13 | The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane tree, and the pine, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. | Sanctuary as a place of divine glory |
| Zech 4:7 | He shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'" | Symbolic completion of God's dwelling |
| Heb 9:3 | And behind the second curtain was a tent called the Most Holy Place, | Description of earthly Holy of Holies |
| Heb 9:11 | But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) | Christ as High Priest in true heavenly tabernacle |
| Heb 9:12 | He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. | Christ's entrance into the heavenly sanctuary |
| Heb 9:24 | For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. | Earthly sanctuary as copy of heavenly |
| Heb 10:19 | Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, | Believer's access through Christ's sacrifice |
| Eph 2:20 | ...built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, | Church as spiritual temple, Christ foundation |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? | Believers as God's temple (NT parallel) |
| 2 Cor 6:16 | For we are the temple of the living God... | Believers as God's temple (NT parallel) |
| Rev 21:22 | And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. | No physical temple needed in new creation |
2 Chronicles 3 verses
2 Chronicles 3 8 Meaning
2 Chronicles 3:8 describes the specific dimensions and lavish materials used for the Most Holy Place, also known as the Holy of Holies, within Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. It states that this innermost sanctuary was a perfect cube, twenty cubits in length, breadth, and height, and that its entire interior was meticulously overlaid with an astonishing quantity of fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents. This details the exceptional sacredness, glory, and immense value ascribed to God's dwelling place on Earth.
2 Chronicles 3 8 Context
2 Chronicles 3 specifically details the construction of the Temple, beginning with the laying of the foundation on Mount Moriah, the very site where Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac (Gen 22). This chapter emphasizes the specific architectural and material features, leading into a detailed description of the dimensions of various parts of the Temple, its grand entrance, and the decorative elements like the cherubim, palms, and chains. Verse 8, in particular, focuses on the innermost and most sacred part of the Temple, the Holy of Holies. The narrative here in 2 Chronicles often highlights the glory of God, the meticulous fulfillment of God-given instructions, and the wealth dedicated to His worship, more so than the parallel account in 1 Kings, which is generally more interested in the practicalities and politics of the kingdom. The historical context is the zenith of the unified Israelite monarchy under King Solomon, demonstrating the nation's immense wealth and dedication (at least initially) to God and His dwelling place, marking a period of unparalleled glory for God's presence among His people on Earth. This meticulous detailing reflects the belief that such a holy God deserved nothing less than the purest and most valuable materials.
2 Chronicles 3 8 Word analysis
- And he made: The "he" refers to King Solomon, as the orchestrator of the Temple's construction. This emphasizes human agency in building, yet it is understood to be under divine direction.
- the most holy house: In Hebrew, bêṯ qōḏeš haqqoḏāšîm (בית קדשׁ הקדשׁים), literally "house of holiness of holies." This refers to the innermost sanctuary, the Holy of Holies. It highlights the superlative degree of holiness, meaning "set apart," "consecrated," or "sacred." This was the exclusive dwelling place for the Ark of the Covenant, representing the throne of God's presence. Only the High Priest could enter, and only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Its holiness surpassed all other parts of the Temple.
- the length whereof was twenty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits, and the height twenty cubits: A cubit (ammah) was an ancient unit of length, typically 18 inches (approximately 45 cm), from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. Thus, twenty cubits is about 30 feet (approx. 9 meters). The key significance here is the formation of a perfect cube. In ancient Near Eastern architecture and especially in biblical holy spaces (like the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle which was a 10x10x10 cubit cube), a cube often symbolized perfection, completeness, and heavenly presence, reflecting the dwelling of a perfect God.
- and he overlaid it: This means covering the entire surface, floor, walls, and ceiling, with the material specified. This implies thoroughness and lavishness, ensuring no natural material was visible within this sacred space.
- with fine gold: Hebrew zahav sāgûr (זהב סגור). Zahav is "gold." Sāgûr signifies "pure" or "fine" gold, implying it was refined and of the highest quality, unalloyed with baser metals. Gold, in the ancient world, was highly prized for its beauty, resistance to corrosion, and rarity. In biblical symbolism, gold consistently represents divine glory, purity, holiness, majesty, and enduring value, often associated with God Himself and His dwelling places.
- amounting to six hundred talents: A talent (kikkār) was a measure of weight, roughly 75 pounds (34 kg), though its exact value varied. Six hundred talents would be an astonishing weight of gold, approximately 45,000 pounds (over 20,000 kg). This staggering quantity speaks volumes about the incredible wealth dedicated to God's sanctuary and the Israelite reverence for His presence. It signifies the immense cost and effort, mirroring the inestimable value of God's glory and His relationship with His people.
Words-group analysis:
- "the most holy house...twenty cubits...twenty cubits...twenty cubits": This grouping highlights the sanctity and ideal geometric form of God's innermost dwelling. The perfection of the cube underscores the divine order and completeness inherent in God's presence.
- "overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents": This phrase emphasizes the unparalleled richness and sacredness of the space. The vast quantity of the purest gold underscores the infinite value and glory of the Divine One dwelling within, and the unreserved dedication expected in His worship. It signifies that no expense was too great for the King of kings.
2 Chronicles 3 8 Bonus section
- The dimensions of the Holy of Holies (20x20x20 cubits) being a perfect cube echo the dimensions of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, described in Revelation 21:16 as 12,000 stadia in length, width, and height, emphasizing a continuity of divine order and the perfection of God's ultimate dwelling place among His people.
- The overwhelming amount of gold dedicated to this innermost sanctuary underscores the unique and unparalleled nature of God's presence. Unlike the Tabernacle's Holy of Holies which was largely wood overlaid with gold, Solomon's temple version utilized such a massive quantity of gold that it points to a significant escalation in the visual representation of God's glory.
- While Solomon built this grand temple, its enduring significance lies not in the physical structure itself, which was eventually destroyed, but in what it represented: God's desire to dwell among His people. This theme continues throughout the Bible, finding its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ (who proclaimed, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," John 2:19-21, referring to His body), and in the Holy Spirit's indwelling in believers, making them God's temple (1 Cor 6:19).
2 Chronicles 3 8 Commentary
2 Chronicles 3:8 offers a profound glimpse into the magnificence and theological significance of Solomon's Temple, particularly the Holy of Holies. Its perfect cubical shape, a form found elsewhere in holy biblical contexts (e.g., the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21), visually communicated wholeness and perfection, embodying the very nature of the God it housed. This was not merely an architectural detail but a theological statement. The overwhelming use of "fine gold," not just on surfaces but seemingly permeating the very structure with an estimated 600 talents, went beyond mere aesthetic appeal. It spoke of absolute purity, unmatched glory, and inestimable value. Gold, being incorruptible, symbolized the eternal and unblemished nature of God and His presence. The extraordinary expense, a staggering sum in ancient terms, proclaimed that nothing was too good for God, setting a standard for giving that reflected His supreme worth. This earthly sanctuary, with its veiled mysteries and guarded access, was a prefigurement of the ultimate heavenly sanctuary. It was a tangible place where God manifested His presence among His people, instilling reverence and a deep understanding of His majesty and separateness, foreshadowing the complete and accessible dwelling of God in Christ and ultimately in the new heavens and new earth where He Himself is the temple.